What you will study
Organic chemistry is a subject that impacts on our daily lives in many different ways but none perhaps more so than in the production of drugs and healthcare products. ‘Histamine discovery could help insomniacs’; ‘Drug may reverse MS brain damage’; ‘Statins prevent artery aging’; these headlines from the media draw attention to progress in the development of new substances for use in healthcare and disease-prevention. Of equal significance is the increasing insight into the molecular basis of many diseases that has deepened the understanding of how drug molecules interact with molecular targets such as proteins. This insight is one of the key drivers behind much of the design and development of new drugs. The module explores, using case studies and online multimedia tools, the many facets of the complex process involved in the discovery, design and synthesis of such substances.
The module is designed to stimulate your interest in, and increase your knowledge and understanding of, organic chemistry through its role in the design and synthesis of molecules with medical applications. It introduces a wide range of reactions in use today for the synthesis of organic compounds in chemical research and in industry.
The detailed aims of the module are to:
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Introduce a range of organic reactions of particular value for the synthesis of given molecules with specified structures and stereochemistry. The emphasis is on modern reactions capable of a high degree of selectivity and on the mechanistic basis of that selectivity.
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Introduce the concepts of drug and receptor interactions and the role the shape and physical properties of a drug play in this interaction. Molecular modelling will show the effect that modifying these properties has on the interaction and how this can inform the drug design process.
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Engage you, through case studies, to the process of selecting and synthesising likely drug molecules and consider in a variety of factors that require evaluation of two or more different routes to the same compound.
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Improve your skills as an independent learner by gradually introducing more unstructured materials; for example, developing your ability to extract information from the chemical literature and use databases and molecular modelling to solve a given problem to do with the design and synthesis of drug target compounds.
The module is arranged in ten units, divided into two parts. The first part deals with drug design and discovery and covers topics including molecular modelling, protein structure, enzymes and receptors, and the pharmacokinetics of drug action, enzyme kinetics, drug adsorption, distribution, excretion, metabolism and toxicity. Treatments of electronic theory and stereochemistry illustrate the principles of the shape, reactivity and stability of the drug molecules and how these determine the interaction with a protein target.
The second part focuses on the synthesis of drug molecules. The rationale of synthetic strategies is discussed, providing the basis for understanding a wide variety of types of reaction and of organic reactivity in general; special attention is given to the use of selective reactions to achieve a particular molecular transformation.
The case studies illustrate in detail the use of both theoretical concepts and synthetic techniques developed in the module.
Entry
This is an OU level 3 module. OU level 3 modules build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from previous studies at OU levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject, preferably with the OU.
You are advised to prepare yourself for this module by taking our key introductory OU level 1 module, {Exploring science [S104]}, and at OU level 2, {The molecular world [S205]}. These will have covered most of the necessary background. You can get an idea of the level required by looking at the S205 study material.
It is essential that you establish whether or not your background and experience give you a sound basis on which to tackle the module, since students who are appropriately prepared have the best chance of completing their studies successfully. The Science Faculty has produced a booklet Are You Ready For S346? to help you to decide whether you already have the recommended background knowledge or experience to start the module or whether you need a little extra preparation. This can be viewed or printed from the Are you ready for science? website.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Qualifications
It can count towards most of our degrees at bachelors level, where it can help to weight your degree towards a BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this module can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
Excluded combinations
Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or check with our Student Registration & Enquiry Service before registering.
If you have a disability
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader (mathematical and scientific materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way). Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future.
A number of the learning outcomes for the modules are underpinned by concepts that depend on ideas supported by a mixture of complex figures, schematics, tables, mathematical and chemical equations and reaction schemes. Achieving these learning outcomes may be challenging if a student has severe visual impairment. Students concerned about the visual aspects of the module should contact their regional adviser for more information. Students who use specialist hardware and software or those with queries about other additional needs can also contact their adviser for assistance or advice.
Study materials
What's included
Module books, a website which delivers additional study materials, online resources and forum, other printed materials and DVD
You will need
To engage in the online tutorials you will also need a headset with microphone. Broadband internet access is desirable.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. The module forum will provide continuous study support, act as a virtual self-help group and enable students to support one another. We will also offer online tutorials, in which you are encouraged to participate.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.
You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).
Your end-of-module assessment (EMA) must be submitted online.
The TMAs have a total workload equivalent of two full TMAs.